


On the same page

by Kassiopeia_82



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: M/M, What-If 414
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 01:17:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17457830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kassiopeia_82/pseuds/Kassiopeia_82
Summary: Brian asks a question Justin doesn’t expect. How does Justin respond?





	On the same page

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eureka1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eureka1/gifts).



> A huge thank you to my beta Eureka1
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc., are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"So," Justin says as he and Brian are lounging on cushions in the living room, reminiscing and laughing about his Hollywood adventure, "Michael and Ben got married in Canada."

“Yeah, the professor finally made an honest man out of Mikey,” Brian answers, typical snark in his voice.

Justin’s thoughts wander back in time to Mel and Linds' wedding a few years ago. So much has happened since then. He and Brian broke up, then - more mature and equal - reunited, and took Stockwell down together. Brian launched his own agency; they survived another bout of Justin’s bashing-related PTSD; and they battled Brian’s cancer together. With Vic’s death, they lost one of their family, but they also gained two new family members, Hunter and JR. Their lives are so much more entwined now, and the gang isn’t just Brian’s chosen family anymore. It’s his too, so he can’t help feeling sad that he wasn’t there for this wedding, even though he wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on the Hollywood experience.

“Anybody home?” Brian inquired, playfully tapping his knuckles against Justin’s temple.

Justin laughs before responding a little wistfully, “I wish I could have been there, like I was for Mel and Linds’ wedding.”

Brian stares at him in disbelief. “And sacrifice an opportunity like Hollywood? Didn’t I teach you anything?”

Justin gives Brian a playful shove before asking, “How was it?”

“The wedding?” Brian snorts. “Sunshine, you know the procedure! For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others. I do; I do too. Rings, kissing, hugs, tears, throwing rice, and all that shit.” 

Amused, Justin observes, “If anyone can make a wedding sound like the most perverted - and the most boring - thing in the world, it’s you. But I like weddings, and Michael is my friend and business partner, so I really wish I could have been there.” Eyeing Brian, Justin sees his expression change from a smirk to a sort of pensive thoughtfulness. He even seems to be a little nervous, but Justin has no idea what has caused the sudden shift in mood. Before he can ask whether something is wrong, though, Brian preempts him.

“Now that Mikey and Zen Ben have tied the knot…” Brian sounds a little uncomfortable, his voice trailing off.

If Brian had said something suggestive like that after Mel and Linds’ wedding, Justin probably would have thrown himself at him and shouted yes without giving him a chance to finish his sentence. Back then, he had no real clue what marriage and commitment were about - he wouldn’t have recognized commitment if it rimmed his ass - but, thankfully, he isn’t that guy anymore. Now he not only knows Brian better, he has also learned a thing or two about what commitment and caring means. It’s tossing a tennis ball and cheering like it’s the biggest achievement of your life when you catch it. It’s coercing you into marching in the Pride parade instead of staying in bed, so that your attacker doesn’t win. It’s a computer program that makes it easier to produce art with a gimp hand. It’s also feeding your partner chicken soup, cleaning up vomit after radiation, and trying to rekindle the fire in his life gate.

Now, rather than reacting like a starry-eyed teenager, he waits for Brian to finish his thought. Knowing his partner’s stance on marriage, he’s not expecting a proposal, nor does he wait for Brian to change his opinion. He has a partner who supports him, is there for him; getting married would be only the icing on the cake.

“Do you want to get married too?” Brian blurts out after a short, uneasy silence.

Justin stares at Brian in disbelief before replying with a stern tone in his voice. “Tell me immediately that’s a hypothetical question, or I’m getting on the phone to your doctor. If there’s something wrong from your latest check-up, and you didn’t let me know, you won’t have to wait for the cancer to kill you, Mr. Kinney.” 

“There is no need to disturb the doc.”

Justin feels relieved that Brian hasn’t cooked up any kind of scheme behind his back, such as, ‘I’m possibly dying and want you to be well provided for, so we need to move to whatever state recognizes same sex marriage so you won’t pay as much estate tax.’ Still not sure what’s going on with his partner, he pretends to consider Brian’s question before observing, “After Brett realized that I had slept with Connor, he asked about our extramarital activities. I told him you detest marriage, that we would rather say ‘I don’t’ than ‘I do.’ Does that answer your totally out of the blue question?”

Brian starts to get up and, while facing away from Justin, asks, “And if I didn’t detest marriage?”

Flashbacks from nearly two years ago assail Justin. He sees himself dreaming about flowers and romantic picnics with candles, which made perfect sense to him at the time but seems so laughable now. He hears himself saying to Brian, “This marriage stuff is kinda cool.” Kinda cool? God he was such a baby back then. 

Slowly it dawns on him why Brian might be nervous, and he wonders if Brian is afraid of a repeat now that Michael and Ben have gotten married. Justin places his hands on Brian’s shoulders before he can move away, and shakes him lightly. “Listen to me! Are you listening?”

Brian nods, relaxing a little as Justin massages the tense muscles in his shoulders.

“If you didn’t detest marriage... and I know you do because you’ve looked like you want to throw yourself out the window since we started talking. I don’t recommend it, though, because you wouldn’t want to be an ugly corpse, would you?” 

A snort from Brian tells Justin that the touch of humor was a good idea.

“If you didn’t detest the institution, I wouldn’t be opposed to it. Can you imagine Justin Kinney or Brian Taylor? My father would have a heart attack if you became a Taylor! That alone would be worth it. Or we could be the Kinney-Taylors and finish off your mother and my father in one go!”

Brian outright chuckles.

“I don’t need marriage, though,” Justin emphasizes, looking directly into Brian’s eyes. “I meant what I said when you had cancer - we have a commitment and I plan to stand by it. And you’ll keep standing by it too, even if you would rather bite off your tongue than say that out loud. You were there for me after Hobbs hit me with a bat. You did your best to support me when I was so fucked up from the bashing that I was running around with a gun. You paid my tuition when my asshole father wouldn’t because I refused to be a straight businessman. And would you leave me if I got cancer?”

Brian shakes his head.

“That is what’s important. Sure, there would be certain benefits to marriage if it was legal for us, but we can talk about that another time and then maybe visit your lawyer to figure the best way around that. I’ve learned a little something since we met, you know. I’m not that seventeen-year-old, lovestruck schoolboy anymore. I’m your partner. Right?”

Brian nods, smiling slightly.

Justin smiles back, asking, “Together because we want to be?”

Brian’s smile widens before he wraps a hand around Justin’s neck and starts kissing him.

After making out for a little while, Brian lifts his head and says Justin’s name.

“Hmm?” Justin responds absently, his lips seeking Brian’s.

“Was Connor any good?” Brian asks, mischief in his voice.

Justin’s laughter fills the loft.


End file.
